How To Make Cold Brew Coffee at Home - The Best Cold Brew Recipe

You are about to learn how to make your own cold brew coffee at home. and, yes, if you follow the tips below to make it taste better than the beer from your local coffee shop (or starbucks).

and it’s cheaper. only a few minor tweaks are needed (revealed below).

Reading: Best grind for cold brew coffee

We’ve included a simple step-by-step guide on how to brew cold brew coffee + a link to download 21 exciting cold brew recipe variations we love.

ingredients and some pro tips:

1 cup coffee beans
a coffee grinder
5 cups of water
a pot of cold brew coffee or a mason jar
1 cheesecloth or paper coffee filter or a fine mesh strainer

Experts are divided on what makes the best cold-brewed coffee beans, so the most important piece of advice we can give is:

Brewing without heat means that certain flavors, especially bright, tart fruit and floral notes, won’t extract as well. for this reason, some people prefer light to medium roasts, because the cold brew process tempers the acidity. others prefer dark roasts for their bolder chocolate and nut flavors.

More important than the type of beans you use is the size of the grind. check out our grind size chart here.

making cold beer requires a coarse grind.

otherwise it can easily end up bitter and over-extracted during the long steep. Unless specifically marketed for cold brew, most pre-ground coffees found in stores are too fine.

but if you don’t have a grinder, you can always ask your local coffee shop to make it for you.

The long brew time for cold brew also means you have to consider the quality of your water. After all, 98% of coffee is water, and with cold coffee, your beans will stay in that water for a long time.

steps: how to make cold brew coffee

If you follow these simple steps, you can’t go wrong. I mean, maybe you can, but you’d probably have to be a 5-year-old kid playing with coffee. which, we hope you are not.

1. measure your coffee and water

The ratio of ground coffee to water in the cold brew you use will help guide both the strength and flavor of your brew. for a well-balanced cold brew concentrate, a common ratio is 1:5.

if you want to experiment a bit, here are other ratios you can try:

2. grind your coffee beans on a coarse setting

This is probably the most important step in making cold beer.

You should use very coarse ground coffee, coarser than the typical pre-ground coffee at your grocery store. with such a long steeping time, the finely ground coffee beans will be over-extracted and your cold brew will taste bitter or astringent, the opposite of the smooth taste you crave.

3. combine coffee and water

brewing cold beer could hardly be simpler, especially if you have a dedicated tool like a filtron or toddy brewer. simply combine the coffee and water in the ratio you determined, stir well, and patience is the name of the game.

4. set a timer and start soaking

soaking time can vary a bit depending on the size of the grind. We recommend experimenting with times between 14 and 20 hours, with 16 hours being a great starting point.

If you don’t steep it long enough, your concentrate will be weak and watery, but if you steep it too long, it can taste bitter or astringent.

If possible, let it sit in your fridge. If your coffee pot/carafe won’t fit in your fridge, it’s fine to let it soak at room temperature, but put it in the fridge as soon as it’s done. Alternatively, you can make an ice bath with a bowl and some ice and use it to soak on your counter.

5. Strain and filter into a clean container or jar

if you’re using a large batch coffee maker, you’ll already have some type of paper filter. if you are using a mason jar; Strain your brew through cheesecloth, or use a coffee filter and strain as you would drip coffee. store your cold coffee in the refrigerator.

6. dilute, season and enjoy

once you’ve made your concentrate, there are tons of delicious things you can do with it.

The most common is to simply add milk or water in a 1:1 ratio, pour over a few ice cubes, and enjoy. but feel free to experiment with more cold drinks, from caffeinated popsicles to a chilled martini.

frequently asked questions

here are some of the most common questions about cold brew coffee:

why cold brew is better for you?

Cold-brewed coffee is better for you because of its various benefits.

some of them are:

it is smoother and less acidic than hot and iced coffee
you get a slow release caffeine hit compared to hot brewed coffee. there is no caffeine crash even though the caffeine levels are higher (1). This is where you can learn more about the differences between hot brewed coffee and cold brewed coffee.
friendlier to the stomach (less acidity)
prepared correctly, lasts up to 10 days (so you can prepare it in batches)
can make cold brew concentrate that can be diluted or used in various recipes
you can turn it into nitro cold brew! Here’s how to make nitro cold brew at home.

Is iced coffee less acidic than regular coffee?

yes, cold coffee is less acidic than hot coffee. in hot brewing, the oils and acids in the coffee beans break down and oxidize more quickly than in cold water, increasing the acidity and bitterness of the coffee.

The low temperatures and long brew times of the cold brew process capture more of the sweet-tasting compounds that are soluble in cold water, with no oils or acids.

does cold beer have more caffeine than hot coffee?

no, cold coffee doesn’t have more caffeine than hot coffee. but this is debatable (2).

caffeine dissolves faster in hot water, so even with the highest ratio of ground coffee to water, there’s less caffeine in your cup. if you’re brewing cold brew concentrate, it has more caffeine than regular brewed coffee because it’s made with a higher ratio (up to 1:2) of ground coffee to water. but once you dilute the concentrate with hot water to make a regular cup of coffee (or cold water for iced coffee), the caffeine is reduced by a significant amount.

Cold-brewed coffee has a slower release of caffeine, giving it a long-lasting caffeine buzz. but it does not have a higher caffeine content.

note: if you’re interested in a decaf version of this drink, check out our decaf cold brew recipe.

can you heat up the cold coffee?

yes, cold beer can be warmed up. The easiest way to do this is to brew cold brew coffee concentrate and then add hot water to it. if you make a 1:2 concentrate, you should be able to add 8 or 9 oz. of hot water to 1 oz. of concentrate to get close to that “golden ratio” of 1:19.

From a practical perspective, pour hot water into a measuring cup and add a little at a time, testing it as you go. stop when you feel bliss. (Be sure to write down how much you used, so you can feel just as happy every time.)

do you need to buy a cold brew coffee maker to brew cold brew?

If you’re serious about this style of brewing, I suggest you buy one of these cold brew coffee makers. but if you want to make cold brew in another way, here are some more tutorials on how to make cold brew with:

how to make cold beer with a mason jar.
use your French press to make cold brew.
try this aeropress cold brew recipe.
how to use the toddy cold brew system.
cold brew sous vide for faster brewing.

We have also listed some of the best youtube channels dedicated to making coffee.

or, if you’re too lazy, bring yourself a cold coffee. We highly recommend the wandering bear cold brew coffee. their cold beers taste good, they are a sustainable brand, they also offer different variants.

How long does cold brew coffee last?

Cold brew will last up to 10 days if you keep it refrigerated from the time you brew it. after that it will start to taste funky. Does cold coffee go bad? as a general rule: try to consume it within 7 days.

How Much Cold Brew Should I Drink? what’s the point of cold coffee?

You probably shouldn’t drink more cold-brewed coffee than regular coffee, as it has a bit more caffeine and its cold temperature makes it easy to drink fast. however, if you have a sensitive stomach, a great feature of cold beer is its relatively low acidity, which may make it easier for you to drink more.

do you make cold coffee in the fridge?

ideally, yes, you should let your cold brew brew in the fridge. however, some coffee makers will be too large for a standard refrigerator. it’s fine to let your cold brew sit on the counter, as long as you take the concentrate to the fridge as soon as it’s ready.